200-acre easement links North Creek Ski Bowl to Siamese Ponds Wilderness
By Mike Lynch
Hikers and skiers looking to explore the Gore Mountain area in the Central Adirondacks got a dose of good news Wednesday.
North Creek-based Barton Mines announced it is donating a recreation easement on 200 acres of its forested land to the town of Johnsburg. That will allow for connections between two multi-use trails and expand options for backcountry skiing.
The undeveloped property is west of the hamlet of North Creek and north of the heart of the Gore Mountain ski center run by the Olympic Regional Development Authority.
The proposed connector trails, which are outlined in the 2019 North Creek Recreation Trail Plan, will join the Schaefer Trail, which hikers can take to the summit of Gore Mountain, and the Raymond Brook Ski Trail, which goes through the Siamese Ponds Wilderness adjacent to Garnet Hill Lodge’s trail network.
That means the proposed trails will provide a new connection from the North Creek Ski Bowl, located at the base of Gore, to the Siamese Ponds Wilderness and Garnet Hill trails, a popular Nordic skiing destination.
At a press conference Wednesday in North Creek, Charles Barton, whose family owns the property, said the original Raymond Brook Ski Trail that dates to the 1930s starts on the easement property. It was used by Gore Mountain skiers before the installation of chairlifts.
“We hope that our recreation easement donation provides a stepping point off for the next round of trail expansions and enhancements,” he said.
Johnsburg Supervisor Kevin Bean, an outdoors enthusiast, expressed support for the project and said they will help the local economy.
“Anybody who lives here knows that the recreation economy for our town is critical,” Bean said “We have a lot of people that come here, whether it’s to downhill ski, Nordic ski, snowshoe, raft, hike… fish and so on. Those activities are truly what helps to keep Johnsburg alive and vital, and this will certainly add to that. It’s very exciting.”
The plan for the easement and proposed trails have been in the works for more than five years.
“The success of the town and the success of the company are directly linked, always have been,” said Barton Mines CEO Randy Rapple. “This is something that we feel very, very strongly about.”
Steve Ovitt, owner of Wilderness Property Management, played a leading role in developing the North Creek Recreation Trail Plan and the two trails adjacent to the easement property. He said the backcountry skiing in the easement area is excellent because its above 1,500 feet and faces north and northeast.
“We can ski on powder up there much longer (than) anyplace else,” he told the Explorer Thursday. “Even when you don’t have fresh powder, it’s not getting sun-blasted. That’s why this piece is so valuable.”
An easement for the property still needs to be finalized and will become public at that point. That is expected to take at least several months.
The illustration at the top shows the easement donated by Barton Mines. The Raymond Brook Ski Trail runs above the property while the Schaefer trail is located below it. Illustration courtesy of Barton Mines
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